There has been a twin city partnership between Potsdam and Sioux Falls since September 1990, and thereby it is the oldest such twinning between a US municipality and a city in the New Laender - the former states of East Germany.
The name of the largest and oldest city of the State of South Dakota, which is known for the monumental faces of American presidents carved into the mountain stone at Mt. Rushmore and the memorial for the Native American, Crazy Horse, refers to the waterfalls of the Big Sioux river. Immigrants from Europe founded the city in 1856 along the banks of this river. However, those settlers were certainly not the first residents in this region. Before their arrival, tribes of the legendary Sioux Indians lived here.
Sioux Falls is a city with a high quality of life. With the Washington Pavilion, the Sioux Falls park, the Zoo, and many sports facilities, the city has attractive possibilities for leisure-time activities and recreation. With the House of Butterflies opening its doors to the public just a few months ago another sight has been added to the city's must-see attractions. Two hospitals ensure top medical care. Excellent possibilities for education and training exist at public and private schools at Augustana College, the University of Sioux Falls, and the branch campuses of the Dakota State Universities, the University of South Dakota and South Dakota State University.
Sioux Falls is the center of trade, banking, and companies in the service industries, but also is the cultural center for the whole region. Of major importance is the EROS DATA Center, a scientific institution run by the US government, which makes basic cartographic information available by the provision of satellite imaging photographs. There are modern high-tech companies, but also enterprises working in the field of agriculture - they produce agricultural machines and equipment, and others firms work in the processing of the agricultural products of the region. Statistics show an unemployment rate of only 2.9 percent. It is an interesting fact that the number of the city's inhabitants increases each and every year by about 3,000. Currently the friendly city in the Midwest of the USA has 131,000 inhabitants who live in an area of 58.3 square miles. You'll find more detailed information online at: www.siouxfalls.org.
The Potsdam - Sioux Falls Friendship Society was founded in 1991. It has close contacts to the Sioux Falls Sister-Cities Association. Many Potsdam schools are in contact with partner schools in Sioux Falls. The Potsdam University co-operates with Augustana College. Contacts to the friendship society are arranged by the marketing department of the city administration, which you can contact via the email.
